Police have arrested 44 men for the gang rape of an 18-year-old Dalit girl in Kochi, Kerala over the last five years. This matter has created a stir in the city. The victim is an athlete and in her statement to the police, she said that 62 people had sexually exploited her in the last five years. Police have identified 58 of these 62 accused, of whom 44 have been arrested in the last two days, while the remaining 14 accused are also expected to be arrested soon.
Deputy Superintendent of Police P.S. Nandkumar said that the investigation into the method of crime is still going on. This matter came to light when the victim narrated her ordeal of gang rape to a volunteer in a gender awareness program.
The victim said that she was first sexually abused when she was 13 years old, when her neighbor allegedly made her a victim of his lust. According to local media reports, four minors are also among the accused. Under Indian law, accused in rape cases involving the Dalit community do not get immediate bail, but the statement of none of the accused has been taken in this case so far.
India recorded more than 31,000 rape cases in 2022, but the conviction rate remains very low, Reuters reports. Last year, the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata had sparked outrage across the country, leading to massive protests demanding justice.
